This disclosure relates to sorting systems in a tree and, more particularly, to methodologies for sorting computer systems in a tree based upon, at least in part, one or more selected attributes of the computer systems.
Some trees or other hierarchical systems for displaying objects, such as computer systems may allow users to sort computer systems by hostname, or internet protocol (IP) address. In trees showing many computer systems in communication with each other, on the same network, in distributed/host environments or owned and/or used by the same entity (i.e., a corporation), the computer systems may be sorted by a hardcoded characteristic (e.g., hostname or IP address). Often times, this sorting structure is not helpful to the user. The user may wish for the tree to sort the computer systems based on a different characteristic, or a number of different characteristics.
Additionally, while the tree may sort computer systems based on one characteristic, the values of many other characteristics may be gathered, or may otherwise be available at the user's system. The user may wish for the tree to sort the computer systems based on one or more of these characteristics and their values, which may change at any time. Accordingly, the user may require an application allowing the user to sort the computer systems in a tree based on one or more user-specified characteristics, or attributes, the values of which may be available to the user's system.